Jammu: In a major breakthrough against organized drug trafficking and suspected narco-terror networks, Jammu and Kashmir Police, in coordination with Punjab Police, have busted a suspected splinter module of the notorious Lau Gujjar drug syndicate, recovering an AK-47 assault rifle, a pistol, ammunition, narcotics and multiple vehicles during a high-profile raid in Amritsar.
The operation, which is being viewed as one of the most significant anti-narcotics actions of the year, was carried out at a flat in Dream City Colony, Amritsar, following intelligence inputs developed during investigations into drug trafficking cases registered in Jammu and Kashmir.
Three suspects — Harpreet Singh,Surajdeep Singh and Doodhi, all residents of Punjab — were arrested during the raid. Police recovered an AK-47 rifle, a pistol, around 50-60 live rounds, a heroin consignment and three vehicles allegedly being used for narcotics transportation and logistical support.
Sources said the operation was a direct outcome of sustained investigations into the extensive narcotics network allegedly run by Lau Gujjar, a notorious drug kingpin whose arrest earlier this year exposed a web of interstate and suspected cross-border drug trafficking routes. Investigators believe the Amritsar-based module was functioning as an important operational arm of the larger syndicate and may have been handling storage, transportation and distribution of narcotics.
The breakthrough assumes added significance as it comes days after the arrest of Pappi, a resident of Gurdaspur, Punjab, from whom 560 grams of heroin-like substance (Chitta) was recovered by Rajbagh Police in Kathua district.
Following his arrest in FIR No. 135/2026 under Sections 8/21/22 of the NDPS Act, the accused was shifted to the Joint Interrogation Centre (JIC), Miran Sahib, for intensive questioning aimed at exposing the network’s supply chain and identifying its interstate linkages.
Sources indicated that information generated during interrogation and technical surveillance played a crucial role in tracking the Amritsar-based operatives, ultimately leading to the latest crackdown.
The seizure of an AK-47 assault rifle and ammunition alongside narcotics has prompted investigators to examine possible narco-terror linkages and cross-border connections. Security agencies suspect that drug trafficking networks are increasingly being used not only for smuggling narcotics but also for facilitating the movement of illegal arms and funding criminal activities.
Officials are currently analyzing digital devices, financial transactions and communication records recovered during the operation to identify additional members of the network and trace the origin of the seized weapons and narcotics.
Law enforcement agencies believe the latest arrests have dealt another major blow to the remnants of the Lau Gujjar syndicate, which has remained under intense scrutiny since a series of operations earlier this year targeted its financial and logistical infrastructure.
Investigators are now working to establish whether the arrested accused maintained direct contact with handlers operating across the border or were part of a wider network spanning Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir and other northern states.
With arrests in Punjab, ongoing interrogations in Jammu and fresh intelligence leads emerging from the operation, security agencies have widened the investigation to uncover the full extent of the network. Officials expect more arrests in the coming days as efforts continue to dismantle the remaining elements of the interstate drug syndicate.
